Suddenly, my dog has a black spot on his chest. What should I do?

Poor guy. This appears to be a possible mass (i.e. histiocytoma which is usually benign) or a severe inflammatory response to a foreign body (i.e. Grass awn, etc) underneath the skin. I would recommend having your vet take a look at this and shave the hair around it to get a closer look at it up close. They will also flush the area well and start a short course of antibiotic and anti-inflammatory medicaitons to see if it resolves. If it doesn't then samples of the tissue can be taken to identify what this is for sure, so that we know how we need to treat this area successfully. Best of luck with Dayo and his skin issue. Take care.

The region shown in the picture is consistent with a hotspot. Hot spots occur when an animal scratches or choose at an until damage is done to the skin. They can often progressbvery quickly and become quite severe if not treated. If the area is continuing to enlarge or if Garret seems uncomfortable I would recommend that you have him seen by your veterinarian. Your veterinarian may clip and clean the area and prescribe medications to help it heal. In the meantime I would recommend that you try to prevent Garret from scratching at the area. You can put a t-shirt on him to protect that area.

Hi, and thanks for your question. This presentation could be due to a trauma or localized spot of skin infection (likely to be caused by bacteria or fungal). A check up, appropriate disinfection and possibly antibiotics or antifungal meds (oral, topical or in a shampoo formulation) are needed to solve the problem. Disinfection can be possibly started at home with very diluted hibiscrub or betadine or salted water baths. Buster collar may be useful as well to avoid any licking.

Hello and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. It is a bit hard to see this lesion but from the photo, it looks like there is a dark center. If this is true, it usually indicates tissue necrosis. This could be from a poisonous spider bite, an infected tick bite, a burn, an underlying abscess or a foreign object trapped under the skin. I do recommend to make an appointment for River in the next day or two for an exam. In the mean time, protect the lesion from trauma. Keep it clean and dry. Keep her indoors and laying on soft/clean surfaces. If River can lick at it, have her wear an elizabethan collar. If she can scratch it, have her wear a loose fitting doggie t-shirt. You can also by nail caps for the hind nails to dull the nails. I hope this helps and that she heals up quickly. Sincerely, Dr. Elizabeth

For Max! That looks a little irritated. He could have an infection or it could be some type of mass. The best thing would be to have your veterinarian take a look at it to determine the exact cause and the best way to treat. He may need an antibiotic and an anti-inflammatory. If you can't take him to a vet, then you could bathe him with a medicated dog shampoo and apply an antibiotic cream and see if it resolves.

Hi there! Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Looking at the picture you attached, it could be a couple of things. It could be a benign mass, like a skin tag, that has become irritated. There is unfortunately also a type of skin cancer called hemangiosarcoma that can look like this though. I would recommend taking her into your vet. They will likely ask you how long it has been there, about any changes in size/shape, and recommend a small skin biopsy. I hope this answers your question.

Yes, it looks like he has a skin infection/hot spot. He needs an oral antibiotic and possibly a corticosteroid to help treat the infection and inflammation. Schedule an appointment with a vet for treatment.